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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1'.

0. EWING TELEPHONE SIGNALING ANDREGEIVING APPARATUS. No. 260,180. IPatented June 27, 1882.

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675M208 Zia? (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O. EWING.

TELEPHONE SIGNALING AND RECEIVING APPARATUS.

No. 260,180 Patentd June 27, I882.

A I l A (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

O. EWING.

TELEPHONE SIGNALING AND REGEIVING APPARATUS.

No. 260,180. Patented June 27, 1882.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'CHARLES EWING, OF \VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

TELEPHONE SIGNALING AND RECEIVING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 260,180, dated June 27,1882.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES EWING, a citizenof the United States, residing at Washington, in the District ofColumbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in TelephonicSignaling and Receiving Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

The object of my invention is to arrange a series of telephonic stationsupon a circuit in such manner that the operator at anyone station cancall and put himself in communica tion with another station without theaid of a central oftice and without calling up any other station on thecircuit. The special arrangement of circuit and station apparatus willbe fully described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a diagrammatic view, showingtwo stations arranged on a main-line circuit according to one plan of myinvention. Fig.2 is aviewindicating the special apparatus employed ateach station. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the switch call-dial; Fig. 4, adiagrammatic view, showing three stations arranged on circuitaccordingto another plan. Fig. 5 is a central verticalsection taken in the planeof the shaftto. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the same, partly brokenaway; and Fig. 7 is a view in perspective, showing the mechanism foroperating the call apparatus.

I will first describe the apparatus shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and willthen described the operation on circuit.

An upright rotary shaft, A, mounted on suitable supports, carries at itstop a switchlever, B. The shaft passes through the calldial C, which isfirmly held in the casing of the apparatus. This dial is provided with aseries of apertures, c, placed near its periphery, through whichapertures the upper vertical rms of a series of right-angled levers, D,project. These levers are respectively pivoted at d, and projectsnfliciently far above the dial to come in contact with and be depressedor snubbed down when the switch is moved past or over them. Thehorizontal arms d of these levers extend under a flange, c, on a collar,E, which slides freely within proper limits on the shaft A, so that whenany one of the levers is depressed by the switch-lever it will raise thesliding collar, A lever, F, pivoted at f and connected with the slidingcollar, bears upon a sprh'ig-a-rm, g, carrying the contact g, andwhenever any one of the leversD is depressed and the sliding collarraised the contact between the points g and It will be broken and thecircuit interrupted. The current from the main line L normally passesthrough springarm 9, contacts 9 and h, coil of electro-magnet M, andthence to line Li A disk, I,secured on the lower end of the shaft A, isconnected by wire Z of a local bat tery, L B, with the coil of theelectro-magnet N, from whence this local circuit extends by wire Z tothe armature Ll, armaturesto'p n, and contactpoint n. The contact-pointn is designed to make contact with the projection 2'. on the disk, andthus complete the local or hell circuit whenever the signal of thatspecial station is received. The bell is what is known as the ordinaryvibrating bell, and will continue to ring until its local circuit isbroken, as will be hereinafter described.

On the upper face of the disk I a ratchetwheel, K, is secured. Thiswheel is rotated by a thumb pawl or lever, 7:, carried by thearmattire-leverK,'which armature is attracted by the magnet M wheneverthe contacts 9 It complete the circuit, and is drawn back by an ordinaryretractile spring when the circuit is broken. Thus when the circuit iscompleted the armature is attracted, thrusts thelever or.

pawl I. forward, and pushes the ratchet-wheel around one tooth, and whenthe circuit is broken it is drawn away from the magnet by a retractilespring, to be again attracted when the circuit is again completed. Therotation of the ratchet-wheel a given number of teeth will cause theprojection z to make contact with 12, thus completing the local circuitand sounding the call-bell.

In Fig. 3 the face of the dial is shown as having eight apertures andprojecting levers to be operated by the switch-lever, and onezero-point, where the switch-lever normally rests. It may be noted herethat these levers are rounded on their upper ends to facilitate theirbeing snubbed down by the lever. They might, if desired, be beveled ontheir opposite sides.

The apparatus thus described is identical at all the stations on thecircuit. The number of stations in this instance will be assumed to beeight, in accordance with the numbers on the call-dial. In Fig. 1 aportion of the entire circuit only is shown with two stations, as thisis deemed suflicient to illustrate the operation of my improvedapparatus. The station apparatus is shown diagrammatically in thisfignre forconvenience of illustration. Thus the disk I and ratchet-wheelare shown as detached from the shaft A and placed in the local circuit.Now, suppose that there are eight stations on this circuit, and that theswitch-levers at all the stations are in their normal zero position, asindicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3, then the main-line circuit willbe complete, but all the local bell-circuits will be broken. Theposition of the projection i on each disk I and the number of teeth inthe ratchet-wheel are arranged in such relation that when a number ofteeth corresponding to the station number of that particular stationhave been pushed around by the thrust-pawl 7c the projection & will makecontact with the point a, complete the local circuit, and ring thevibrating call-bell at that station. Thus at station 8, when thethrust-pawl has been operated eight times, the local circuit should becompleted. In other words, each disk I, provided with a singleprojection or tooth, i, is so arranged that, supposing all the disksupon the line to rotate in the same direction and at the same rate, theprojections will make contact successively, no two engaging with thecontact-point n at the same time. The num ber of these projectionscorresponds with the number of the teeth upon the ratchet K, less one,and their arrangement is such that as the thrust-pawl It operates saidratchet its successive vibrations will cause the projection 1 upon thedisk atstation 1 tomake contact first. Then as the said disks revolvethe projectiont' at station 2 will nextclose the local circuit. Upon thethird stroke of the pawl contact will be made at station 3, 850. Themoment contact is made at station 2 the projection i at station 1 passesoff the contact-point. As contact is made at station 3 it passes off atNo. 2, &c.,

the rotation of the disks at all the stations being simultaneous andequal. Suppose, now, that station No. l wants to communicate withstation No. 5, the operator at station 1 turns the switch-lever B overthe switch-dial from the zero-point, where it normally rests, said leverpassing over the projecting levers 1, 2, 3, and 4 in succession andsnubbing each one down until the arm just passes lever 5, where it isallowed to dwell just 01f said lever or between it andlever 6, as shownin Fig. 3. As the arm 13 passes over lever 1 and depresses it it raisesthe sleeve E, depresses lever F, and breaks the line-circuit at everystation, allowing the lever K to be retracted. As the arm moves pastlever 1 the circuit is restored at each station, and the magnet Mattracts its armature and the thrust-pawl k is operated, thereby movingall the ratchet-wheels K one tooth each, the disks I rotating with them.As already explained, when lever No. 1 is snubbed down contact is madeat station 1 between the projection t on the disk K at that station andthe contact point a, and the local circuit is thereby closed, and thiswould ring the bell there, but the operator moves the switch rapidly on,and the bell is so adjusted that it will not be afl'ected by the verybrief contact between i and n, as will be stated hereinafter. As theoperator at the calling-station continues to move his switchlever aroundit snubs down lever 2 and then lets it rise, the circuit is again madeand broken at each station, and each ratchet-wheel has been movedanother tooth. This completes the local circuit at station 2, but thebell will not ring,astheoperator promptlymoves his switchlever on. Theoperation is exactly the same as the switch-lever is moved around theboard and snubs down the other levers, the local circuit at eachcorresponding station being completed when the lever having its numberis snubbed down, and each local circuit being thereby closed and brokenin succession at the several stations on the line, and the contact ateach being made and broken almost in the same instant of time, the bellsat the stations not called will not ring, because the armatures N of thebell-magnet are so adjusted by springs,

or their inertia may be so adjusted that they will not move or respondto a quick contact or completion of the circuit, but will only beinfluenced by a prolonged completion of the 10- cal circuit, as aboven1entioned,which is effected by arresting the switch-lever B after ithas passed the pin of the called station, as already described.Astheratchet-wheelanddiskateach station are moved synchronously or stepby step in response to the movement of the switch at the calling-stationthe shaft A and switch-lever are also moved, so that as the switch-leverat station No. 1 is moved the switch-levers of all the other stationswill be similarly moved over their call-dials. As it is desired to callstation No. 8, the switch-lever at station No. 1 should be moved untilit passes over and just beyond lever-point 8, whereby the line-circuitis broken and completed at each station in succession, thereby rotatingthe disks I until the local circuit is closed at station 8 in the manneralready described. This brings the projection 2' into contact with thecontact-point n and'completes the local circuit at station No. 8, and byholding the switch-lever for a time in this position the local circuitat station 8 will ring the bell and continue to ring it until some onecomes to answer it. When the operator at calling-station No. 1 has heldhis leverjust 011' of pin 8 a sufficient time to give a prolonged ringof the bell at station No. 8 he continues to move the lever rapidlyaround to the zero-point again, and the line will then be ready forcommunication between the two stations. In this manner any station onthe circuit may call and communicate with any other station withoutdisturbing or sounding the call at any of the other stations on theline,

the operation in every case being identical with that above described. 7

In Fig. 4. I have illustrated diagrammatically three stations, A, B, andO, or 1, 2, and 3, arranged on a circuit somewhat differently from thoseshown in Fig. 1. In this arrangement the rotation of the disk 1 servesto complete a bifurcated, split, or branch circuit, through which aportion of the current on the line flows, thus operating the call-bell.The main circuit L runs through the contacts 9 and h of the signalingapparatus, (not shown in Fig. 4,) through coil of magnet M, armature F,and disk K to line again. The split of bifurcated circuit commences atsome point between the signaling apparatus and magnet M and runs throughcoil of bell-magnet N, armature-lever N to contact a.

Each station is provided with signaling apparatus like that described,and the operation is substantially the same as that of the organizationshown in Fig. 1. The split circuit at a station is only completed whenthe ratchetwheel has been moved a sufficient number of teeth to bringthe projectioni and contactpoint it together, and then the bell is rung,as already described.

My improved apparatus is designed more especially for telephonicsignaling or calling, and receivers and transmitters of any usualconstruction may be connected in the circuit in any suitable manner.

Figs. 5 and 6 represent the apparatus shown in Fig. 2 mounted in a caseand with certain modifications of detail, the other parts being the samein all respects as those already described in Fig. 2. This case isadapted to be used at each station, and contains both the signaling andreceiving apparatus.

In order to avoid errors that may arise from a hasty use of theswitch-lever B, or such as might arise from a hurried turning andsnubbing of the levers D, or a miscount, I have in thisinstance replacedthe lever shown in Figs. 2 and3by an indicator-hand, B, which normallyjust snubs the end of each of the levers D. A

glass plate, 0, covers the dial 0 and allows the movements of hand B tobe seen, as well as the apertures c in the dial, through which projectthe ends of levers D.

1n order to hold hand B and cause it to snub permanently any one of thelevers D, I place around the periphery of the glass window push-buttons0, corresponding to each lever D in the dial. These push-buttons 0 workin slots, and, when depressed, engage with and arrest the movement ofthe hand B, the push-buttons being so arranged that when driven in theyarrest the movement of the hand B just after it passes off the lever-pincorresponding with said push-button in position on the dial. Thepush-button stops the arm at such a point as to leave the local circuitclosed at the called station a sufficient length of time to actuate thebell-signal.

These buttons are numbered or lettered to correspond to the signal ofthe station called by each, as shown in Fig. 6. To turn the rotary shaftA, I have devised mechanism, part of which is shown in Fig. 7, and whichI will now proceed to describe.

()n shaft A, I mount a pinion, P, rigidly attached to the shaft. Intothis is geared a second pinion, I the number of whose teeth may be amultiple of those on pinion P. They are four times as many in thisinstance. Pins pp, equidistant from each other, are placed near thecircumference and on each side of pinion P. With these pins 1) aweighted rod, S, engages in its descent or fall and carries the pinion Paround a fourth of a revolution, where, as in this instance, the pinsare fourin number, thus causing shaft A, and with it hand B, to completean entire revolution at each descent or fall of weight Q. A forkedbutton, 1%, working in the slot 0' in the side of the case, lifts theweighted rod S into engagement with pinion P. The device referred toconsists of a rod, S, traveling through slots in the brackets s 8. Atits lower end hangs a cup, Q, weighted with shot, so that the rapidityof its fall may be regulated by varying the weight in the cup.

Firmly attached to rod, S and between the brackets s s, is across-piece, T, into which are pivoted pawls tt. These pawls are ofasufticient length to engage with pins 1) on each side of pinion P whenthe weight Q, has been raised or lifted into place by the button R,across the fork of which the cross-rod T rests for this purpose. Thepawls t have their projecting ends beveled on the upper side, and haveunderthem springs taprojectingfrom the slot in which the pawls arepivoted, which slot is large enough for the pawls to allow them littleplay, but forms a square shoulder above, holding the pawls out at aright angle to the cross-piece. By these means pawls tt yield lifted,are thrown out into engagement with the pins by the springs a when theyhave been carried above pinion P, and when button R is released thepawls t t, resting against the pins p p, in their fall carry pinion Iaround a greater portion of a revolution. The other instrumentalitiesbeing the same, the mode of operation is this: Supposing station 8 to becalled,push-buttonSis depressed with onehand and weight Q lifted bybutton It until the pawls t tengage with the pins p of the gearP. Theweight is then released and falls by its own gravity, rotating the gearP, and through it the pinion 1?, thereby carrying the shaft A arounduntil the hand B, in its revolution snubbing each of levers D insuccession, finally abuts against push-button S, and thus snubs thecorresponding lever under it, signaling to the required station byclosing station Ss local circuit. The circuits in Fig. 5 run as follows:

Main line L enters at binding-screw o, passes through spring-arm g,contacts 9 and h, coils of electro-magnet M, thence to bindingscrew oand out to line. Local circuit passes from battery L B throughbinding-screw a", coils of .and pass beyond pins 1) when the weight iselectro-magnet N, spring on armature N, contact-stops n n, projectionton disk I, disk I, binding-screw .90, back to battery.

The circuit-breaking levers F are supported by the collar E, whichslides on the shaft A, as the latter furnishes a convenient supporttherefor, and because the series of elbow-levers 1) must be arrangedradially from the axis on which the arm B turns.

The purpose of mounting the circuit-breaking arms B and the disks I uponthe same shaft A is as follows: The apparatus being constructed as shownin Figs. 5 and 6, it is extremely desirable to indicate at every stationwhether the line is in use or not, and is also desirable to show at eachstation what station is called. The front, 0, of the box being made ofglass, gives a clear view of the rotation of the arm B, which, beingmounted on the shaft A, revolves with the disk I, and thereby shows atonce whether the line is in use and with which station communication isdesired. It also permits the operator to see by a glance when the callhas ceased by the return of the arm to the zero-point.

It has already been shown that the breakin g of the line-circuitretracts the thrust-pawls k and the completion thereof actuates them,thereby giving motion to the disks I at each station.

What I claim is- 1. The signaling-instrument, substantiallyas Yhereinbefore set forth, consisting in the combination of the shaft, themovable collar, the circuit-breakin g lever pivoted thereto, the pivotedlevers for actuating the collar when snubbed, and mechanism for snubbingthem.

2. The station-signaling apparatus, substantially as hereinbeforedescribed, consisting in thecombination of a disk having a contact pointor projection for closing the local circuit, a pawl rotating said disk,an electro-magnet operating the pawl, a circuit breaker and closer, arotating arm by which it is operated, a local circuit, and a series ofindependent stops arranged within the circle of rotation of said arm,adapted to arrest its movement after the required number of makes andbreaks for closing the local circuit.

3. The combination, substantially as herein set forth, of the shaft, themovable collar mounted thereon, the circuit-breaking lever pivotedthereto, the levers actuating the collar, means for snubbing saidlevers, the ratchetwheel mounted on the shaft, and an electromagnet andarmature for causing the shaft to revolve.

4. The combination, as hereinbefore set forth, of the main shaft, adevice for giving one complete revolution to the same, a circuit-breakeroperated thereby to make and break a local circuit, a device forarresting temporarily the revolution of the shaft at any point of itsmovement, a lever mounted on the shaft and turning with it in sight ofthe operator, and mechanism operated by said lever to make and break themain line a given number of times at each revolution of the shaft.

5. In a signaling-instrument, the combination, with the operating-gear,of the weighted rod carrying the pawls which engage with said gear.

6. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of theshaft,-the adjustable weight and mechanism operated thereby to revolvethe shaft, the hand carried by the shaft, the circuit-breaking mechanismmounted on the shaft, and the push-button for arresting the hand andthereby leaving the completed local circuit unbroken until thestation-call is operated.

7. The combination of the shaft, the weight and mechanism to revolve it,the circuit-breaking mechanism, the hand for operating it, thepush-buttons, and the dial.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

CHARLES EWING. Witnesses:

JAMES L. NoRms, J. A. RUTHERFORD.

